


On the Record

by JackNSallyGal



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, James is a photographer, Lily is a jock, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 09:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6978187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackNSallyGal/pseuds/JackNSallyGal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily knows, at least the logical part of her that isn’t feeling bratty about this whole thing that she’s lucky to be in demand.  She’s lucky that Holyhead fans have taken to her, embraced her as their Seeker, and want to see and know more of her. </p><p>But a full glam photo shoot for Witch Weekly feels like a little…much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Record

**The first time**

“For the record, I’m really not into this.”

“I heard you the first time. But the attention you’ll get-“

“I heard you the first time,” Lily announces, smiling a little at her agent to take the sting out of her words.

Remus gives her arm a quick squeeze in acknowledgement, and then he’s moving away, letting the makeup team get back to fussing over her with their brushes and other assorted torture devices.

Lily knows, at least the logical part of her that isn’t feeling bratty about this whole thing that she’s lucky to be in demand.  She’s lucky that Holyhead fans have taken to her, embraced her as their Seeker, and want to see and know more of her.

But a full glam photo shoot for Witch Weekly feels like a little…much. She’s used to getting up before the sun for training. She get her cardio in, and then takes to the pitch with the rest of the team to sweat and work her body over.

That she’s used to, and loves.

Getting up early to Floo in at such an ungodly hour for hair and makeup is an entirely different thing. The team in charge of taking her from banshee with bedhead to Glam and Nearly Unrecognizable are great. They talk and laugh with her, doing their best to put her at ease while she struggles to stay seated for so long, and deals with pre-shoot jitters.

“James is a natural.”

“I’m sure he’ll have the shots in no time.”

“And it helps that he’s easy on the eyes.”

As soon as she was told about the shoot, she looked up the name James Potter. She read through half a dozen articles, all of them hailing him as an emerging talent, before coming across a picture of the man himself. She remembers the image showing a striking black man with a hint of mischief peeking through the barely there smile, and she can’t disagree in the slightest about him being easy on the eyes.

The honest truth is that he’s even better-looking in person. He’s on the other side of the sparsely decorated room where the shoot is going to happen, chatting with another man as he makes several adjustments to his camera. He’s dressed casually, something Lily envies, in faded jeans and a black sweater with the sleeves rolled up.

He looks at ease in his surroundings, smiling and calling out to people as they pass while he seamlessly continues his work. She feels an odd flash of nerves approaching him, holding her heels in one hand, as she makes her way across the room in the soft pink gown that brushes the floor with each step.

James Potter catches sight of her and quickly ends a conversation so he can extend a hand to her.

“Ms. Evans? I’m James Potter. Good to meet you.”

His hand is larger than hers and for whatever reason, the warmth radiating from it puts her at ease.

“Likewise. Call me Lily, though, please.”

“Alright. James, then. They already told you the basics?”

“Sure. Show off the gown in a flattering way. Try not to be stiff or unnatural,” Lily remarks, putting one hand out to balance as she steps into one of the heels.

She hears a click and glances up, surprised, at James, who has the camera trained on her. She smiles and shakes her head and several clicks sound in rapid succession.

“I know what they want for the main shot,” he explains, lowering the camera. “They want you looking gorgeous and a little aloof, which we’ll get to. But with the article, we should have something more human.”

“Down to earth. Like me putting on the heels.”

“Exactly.” He gestures at the only chair in the room. “Why don’t you take a seat and we can keep going. Sit however feels natural.”

He takes a few shots as she makes her way over to the chair, being careful to lower herself with the dress in mind. James stops shooting, and she notices him watching her as she adjusts the fabric, trailing her hands over it lightly to smooth it.

_Click._

“Good. Have any interest in modeling?”

“None whatsoever. This is fun in its way, don’t get me wrong. I’ve never worn something this expensive in my life, but I’m more comfortable on the pitch.”

“All I’ve heard lately from my mates is talk about you saving the Harpies,” James admits.

Lily smiles. _Click._ “And what’s your opinion?”

“I’d have to agree with them. Morgan was right to snatch you up.”

“Let’s hope so, at any rate.”

_Click._

“That’s fairly modest from someone with your talent.”

“I don’t like to jinx myself. That’s all.”

**The second time**

Fresh from her first win, Lily steps off the pitch and into the press room, riding high on adrenaline and flushed with success. She takes a seat with her teammates, knowing her hair is a wreck and she’s got someone else’s blood on her cheek. There’s a frenzy of activity as the press jostles to get their questions answered and their pictures taken and Lily can’t say she minds any of it, with as pleased as she feels.

She can see James from the third row, where he’s smiling at her. She smiles back, lingers on him even after he takes her picture, before focusing back on a question being directed to her.

**Her favorite time**

With help from Remus, Lily puts out a spread for the crew. Her kitchen counter is filled with muffins and scones. A selection of coffee and tea to choose from when they’re done or need a break getting everything set up in her cramped flat.

The hardest part is over. Lily already had her sit down interview with Rita Skeeter, who tried every trick in the book to get Lily to discuss her love life. Or divulge anything that would take the modest spread to a front cover story. But Lily managed to hold her ground, despite the blonde’s probing, and now she is able to relax, somewhat, as she changes for the photo shoot.

This time is wildly different than the first because she’s in her own home. Not only that, but she was instructed to select several outfits from her own closet, and do her makeup as she sees fit. Lily changes into paint splattered jeans and a green sweater, opting for light makeup and wearing her hair down around her shoulders.

When she emerges from the bathroom, there’s a flurry of activity happening as everything from lighting to furniture is repeatedly adjusted. Lily is content to watch from the sidelines. She keeps an eye on James, who looks far too handsome as he constantly talks with his hands, orchestrating the chaos from the eye of the storm.

It only takes a minute or so for him to catch her staring. He smiles, slow and real, and she doesn’t have it in her to look away.

When everything’s ready, Lily begins the shoot seated on her battered couch, feet tucked under her. There are books piled on the coffee table to her right and behind her on the shelves she built with her dad before leaving home. James asks about them straight away and he’s rewarded with the first smile of the shoot.

“When I was growing up, I used to have books all over the place. In my nightstand, under the bed. My closet was a disaster of books and clothes and my poor mum hated it.”

“So now you’ve got your own place…”

“And I can surround myself with them, yes.” Lily cocks her head to one side, curiously. _Click_. “Are you a reader?”

“If you had to guess,” James offers, “What genre would you peg me for?”

“Non-fiction.”

“Why’s that?”

“You take photos,” she shrugs. _Click_. “You like to see things as they are.”

“Pretty insightful for a jock,” James teases.

Lily laughs outright. _Click_.

He asks a few more questions, and she lets him guide her around the room. They take pictures with her at the bookshelf, showing her favorites and even reading a few lines. He’ll tell her later that his favorite shots happened in the kitchen, with her seated at the table, talking to him over a mug of tea.

When the shoot is over, Lily goes back to standing on the periphery. She’s thanked endlessly by the crew and then by James, who is last to leave. This time they linger over saying goodbye. He stands a little too close, watching her the entire time for any sign that he’s reading things wrong as he hands her his card.

“In case you’d like to get together sometime.” 

**Their private time**

_Sometime_ turns out to be two days later.

They end up back at his place, which is much nicer, much homier than she would have expected. But then she isn’t given much time to think about the shortcomings of her flat when he’s got her pressed against the wall with his hands trailing far too slowly along her waist and thighs.

“You’re…killing me,” she breathes against his mouth.

He just smiles and, if possible, slows down even more.

They fall into bed together with the buttons of James’ dress shirt scattered on the hardwood floor. Lily lost her top somewhere along the way, but she’s still got one trainer on when they fall into the softness of his bed.

“Off,” he rumbles with clumsy fingers helping to remove her shoe and begin on her jeans.

“Pants. Get rid of your pants,” Lily orders him, and he just laughs, fingers instantly going to the fly of his trousers.

After, when Lily is slumped half on top of him and he’s brushing his hand along the curve of her spine, Lily reaches out for the camera on his nightstand.

“Can I?”

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”

**His favorite time**

When the weather improves, they take the motorcycle belonging to his fabulously wealthy best friend out for a ride.

Lily pulls on a leather jacket that smells like expensive cologne while James settles the helmet over her hair. The machine roars to life beneath them and Lily laughs, holding tightly to James as they take off with no destination in mind.

When they stop, his camera comes out. He loves talking to her while he shoots, so she doesn’t mind. He catches her raking a hand through her hair after removing her helmet. Tilting her face toward the sunlight.

She only makes him put it away when she wants him too busy kissing her senseless to focus on anything else.

**The worst time**

 James told her once that being paid to take pictures of her on the pitch was like capturing images of an artist in their work space. She’d laughed when he called her movement’s poetry in motion, and he’d egged it on with more flowery, over the top compliments just to hear her laugh.

But then he stopped, smoothing her hair with both hands, making sure he had her full attention when he told her in all seriousness that she was unstoppable out there. And breathtaking to watch.

Today, he’s watching not as press, but her guest. She hasn’t seen him but she knows he’s off somewhere with Remus. Which means he’s there when the back of her broom is clipped by the opposing Seeker, sending her plummeting toward the ground sickeningly fast.

She wakes up with Remus by her side. She has a nasty headache that doesn’t improve upon sitting up, where she eyes James pacing near the door. The Healer tries to ease her back against the pillows but Lily waves away the command and swings her legs over the side of the bed.

James has stopped pacing in favor of watching her. Remus, meanwhile, is trying his hardest to persuade Lily to rest, but she can’t seem to look away from James.

“Please tell me no one got pictures.”

“Pictures?” James looks confused. “Wait…of the fall? Is that what you’re worried about?”

“You have to admit, it’s pretty embarrassing.”

Remus groans, slumping back in his chair, muttering about her nearly giving him a heart attack. James is shaking his head, but he’s smiling when he takes a seat next to her and reaches for her hand.


End file.
